Wrench



April 14, 1942. w. PETERSEN WRENCH Filed Aug. 1'7, 1940 Ilium Pefersen Patented Apr. 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE WRENCH v William Petersen, as was, New. 9 Application August", 1940, Serial No. 353,142

(on. s1-s4) 3 Claim.

This invention relates to wrenches and has relation more particularly to that type of wrench wherein is used a stub lever for coaction with an operator to effect a fine adjustment of the jaws of the wrench with respect to the work and it is an object of the invention to provide a inafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention maybe the better understood, I will now proceed to describethe same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1-is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a wrench constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention,

fulcrum bar I6. This bar I6 is of a desired length and extends inwardly between the side walls 4 of the handle member I and has said inserted end portion transversely enlarged, as at'I'I, to provide a head for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

This head I! has direct contact with the inner end of a shank l8 threaded through the sleeve 3. To facilitate this contact between the inserted end of the lever or bar I6 or more particularly of the head I! with the inner end of the shank I8, said inner end of said shank I8 is provided with an outwardly extending reduced pin I9 which engages the inserted endor head I! of the lever or bar I6. This inserted end or head" of the lever or bar I6 is provided with an outstanding lip 20 to facilitate a proper action of the lever or 7 bar '9 upon movement of the shank I I inwardly of the handle member I.

The inserted end or head ll of the lever or bar I6 is maintained in contact with the inner end of a the shank I 8 or more particularly the pin IS a second position of'certain of the parts being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a-detailed sectional view taken stantially on the line 3-2 of Figure 1.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, l

sub-

denotes an elongated handle member of channel formation of desired dimensions and configuration and which has its forward .end' portion formed to provide afixed jaw 2, while the oppositeend portion of the member I is formedto provide an interiorly threaded sleeve 3. The portion ,of the handle I immediately adjacent to the'jaw 2 is transversely enlarged and pivotally mounted ,between the side walls 4 at said transthereof by the retractible member 2| herein disclosed as a coil spring of requisite tension. One

extremity of this spring 2| is anchored, as at 22,

25 for contact with the intermediate portion 26 versely enlarged portion of the handle I, through v and pivotally connected, as at II, to the inner end portion of the jaw I II is an elongated lever I2 which constitutes an operating handle. This lever or handle I2 is also of a channel forma-' tion and pivotally engaged by the pin ll be tween the side walls I5 01 the lever or handle I2 at a desired point inwardly of the pivotal connection II is an end portion of a stub lever or of the lever or handle I2. This lug 25 is of 'such length whereby its contact with the intermediate portion 26 of the lever or handle member I2 will stop the relative movement of the lever or handle I2 and the handle member I, one toward the other, before the pivot I4 passes over the line between the pivot II and the bearing point of the lever or bar' I6 against the pin I9. By this means it is assured that the retractile member or spring 2I will be-constantly effective to, move the swinging jaw I 0 away from the fixed Jaw 2 when the lever or handle member I2 is in its innermost position with respect to the handle member I.

The use of a stub lever or fulcrum bar is not new as such' is embodied in the wrenches as com- L prised in my Patent No. 1,489,458 dated April 8,

1924, and my Patent No. 2,201,918, dated May 21, 1940. A disadvantage in the wrenches as disclosed in these former patents Just mentioned resides in the liability of the'stub lever or .ful-

crum bar falling out of the handle member I upon adjusting the lever or handle member I2 be noted that the inner face of the handle member I immediately adjacent to the sleeve 3 is formed to provide a longitudinally disposed slot 21 of a length slightly longer than the movement ofthe shank I8 inwardly of the handle member I. It is also to be noted, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, that this slot 2'! isof a width less than It is believed to be obvious that under normal conditions the lever or bar It at no time will fall out of position within the handle member I, although when desired the lever or bar 16 may be freed from the handle member I by manually forcing the lever or bar 16 inwardly whereupon the head I! will pass out beyond the inner open end of the slot. It is not necessary to force the inserted end of the lever or bar 16 a distance to 'free the lip 20 as the major diameter of this lip 20 is less than the width of the slot 21.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof andfor this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim: o

1. A wrench comprising a handle member of channel formation having a fixed jaw, a movable jaw pivotally attached to the handle member for coaction with the fixed jaw, an operating handle in an outermost position. To avoid this it is to tween the movable jaw and the handle member for constantly exerting pull upon the movable jaw and to maintain the stub lever in contact with the shank.

2. A wrench comprising a handle member of channel formation having a fixed jaw, a movable jaw pivotally attached to the handle member fo coaction with the fixed jaw, an operating handle pivotally connected with the inner portion of the movable jaw and having movement toward or from the handle member, the end portion of the handle member remote from the fixed jaw having its inner face formed to provide an elongated slot open at its inner end, a shank carried by said slotted end'portion of the handle member and having endwise movement inwardly or outwardly with respect to the handle member, a stub lever pivotally connected at one end to the operating handle, the opposite end portion of the stub lever having a head of a width greater than the width of the slot of the handle member, said end portion of the stub lever provided with the head normally working within the slot of the handle member and in contact with the irmer end of the SAG-11k, and a retractile member interposed between the movable jaw and the handle member for constantly exerting pull upon the movable jaw and to maintain the stub lever in contact with the shank, said slot being of a length to terminate beyond the inner end of the shank when at the limit of its movement inwardly of the handle member. 4

3. A tool of the character described embodying a handle provided with a stationary jaw, a pivotally mounted jaw, a toggle including a pair of pivotally connected sections, one end of one of the sections of the toggle being pivotally connected with the pivot jaw, the free end-of another pivotally connected with the inner portion of the movable jaw and having movement toward or from the handle member, the end portion of the handle member remote from the fixed jaw having its inner face formed to provide an elongated slot open at its inner end, a shank carried by said slotted end portion of the handle member and having endwise movement inwardly or outwardly with respect to the handle member, a stub lever pivotally connected at one end to the operating handle, the opposite end portion of the stub lever having a head of a width greater than the width of the slot of the handle member, said end portion of the stub lever provided with the head normally working within the slot of the handle member and in contact with the inner end of the shank, and a retractile member interposed beof the sections of the toggle extending into and freely movable lengthwise of said handle, an adjustable fulcrum with which said free end of said toggle section engages, the last said end of the toggle section being enlarged, the portion of the handle in which. said enlarged end moves being of channel formation, portions of the handle being shaped to form overhanging portions of substantial length and shaped to form a slot of substantial length between the adjacent edges of said overhanging portions, said slot being open at one end, the enlarged portion of the toggle section being movable under said overhanging portions of the handle, the toggle section operating in said slot whereby the free end of the last said toggle section will at all times, regardless of the position of said adjustable fulcrum, be maintained against separation from the handle and a hand engaging portion connected with one of the sections of said toggle for actuating the toggle to swing said pivotally mounted jaw about its pivot and said toggle element upon its fulcrum.

WILLIAM PETERSEN. 

